County: Poor Design Led To Broken Heating System At Chevy Chase Library

Montgomery County officials will close the Chevy Chase Library on Dec. 10 to replace a broken-down piping system that has left part of the building without air conditioning since the summer.

Richard Jackson and Bill Herrmann, with the facility management division of the county’s Department of General Services, said part of the piping system in the library’s HVAC system deteriorated because it was built into concrete when the library was built in the late 1960′s.

“Metal poured into concrete is not a good mix and will deteriorate in time,” Jackson said. “We’re going to say this is partly due to poor application back when this building was designed.”

Jackson did not know the cost of the project, but said the library (8005 Connecticut Ave.) was able to get by in the summer by using temporary window air conditioning units.

The Department of General Services coordinated with Montgomery County Public Libraries to determine the Dec. 10 to Jan. 2 period was the best time to replace the piping system.

That decision was made about three weeks ago, Herrmann said. The Chevy Chase Library calendar still lists events for after Dec. 10. News of the closing came Monday in an email from the Friends of the Library, Chevy Chase Chapter.